It's Our 3rd Birthday!
AFPGA is three-years-old this week. We are growing like crazy, not only in numbers of members, but in numbers of trained activists who can carry our shared values to their friends, elected leaders, and the various forms of media out there.

Some of you have been members from the beginning. Many of you signed up over the years online or at an AFPGA event. Thousands of you signed our No Stimulus or Hands Off My Health Care petitions. It has been super traveling the state and getting to meet many of you as we work together to get back to fiscal and regulatory sanity in our government.

We've had a year of big events -- Tea Parties across GA that drew from hundreds to almost 20,000 folks like you. We had loads of smaller health care reform protests, one recently in downtown Atlanta that drew over 10,000. We didn't pull these off alone; we worked with many other organizations and relied on you, our faithful members, to help in various ways.

We've been spotted on WSB -- Atlanta, FOX News, CNN -- and heard on dozens of radio stations from coastal GA to Atlanta's WGST. We've been written about in newspapers of every size and blogs galore. We're on Facebook and YouTube.

AFP chapters are springing up in several counties, as activists seek ways to organize locally to be more effective. AFP has provided support, training, speakers, and event promotion.

We've got some changes to celebrate, too. I've enjoyed my time as State Director these last few months as our former Director moved on to other opportunites. We're bringing on a fantastic new Grassroots Coordinator to take my former position, whom you'll hear more about next week. We've just moved our offices to economize time and resources.

But the vital things have not changed. We're still dedicated to helping you learn the "ropes" so you can effectively advocate for you and your business. We still bring you up-to-the-minute news about local, state, and federal fiscal issues that may affect you and your family's prosperity. We're still working directly with legislators to promote responsible laws and fight unreasonable government intrusion into our lives and our pocketbooks.

We've come a long way in three years in GA, and we're asking you to help us celebrate! There are a few ways you can do this. Forward this link to 3 friends in GA, sharing a good word about AFP and asking them to join our growing AFP family. Or consider an online gift, something with the number 3 in it, so we know it's for our birthday. For example, $30 would pay for printing for 30 activists' Next Steps training materials, $300 would help get two activists transportation to AFPF's DC Summit in October (AFP Foundation donations are tax deductible, AFP are not). Or drop us a card to our new headquarters: AFPGA, 44 Darby's Crossing Drive, Ste.102G, Hiram, GA 30141. Or come join Americans for Prosperity Foundation at its annual Defending the American Dream Summit in DC next month.

Happy Birthday to you, because you, our members, are AFPGA!

Offshore Drilling Update
The moratorium on offshore drilling expired last year, but no drilling has been done. Watch for details next week on how you can make your comments to the Interior Dept.

Upcoming Events
September is full of activity, as we continue to battle a dangerous health care reform bill and keep up on vital energy issues. Come join us or volunteer to help AFPGA.

Americans for Prosperity is sponsoring or speaking at a number of Tea Parties and Rallies:

LaGrange Labor Day, Sept 7th 4:30-6:00pm on the Square I-85 take Exit 18 and turn right onto Highway 109. This is also known as LaFayette Parkway. Do not turn off LaFayette Parkway rain Hoofers located at 3472 Hogansville Road (Highway 29).

Roswell Rendezvous Rally Thursday, Sept 10, 10 AM, Killer Creek Harley Davidson, 11480 Alpharetta Hwy -- bikers heading to DC for 9-12 rally, public invited

Atlanta, September 11th, 8 AM, another at 7 PM State Capitol, 912 Sendoff Rallies

Roswell Tea Party, Saturday Sept 12, 11Am -- 2 PM Roswell City Hall

Cumming Rally, Sat. Sept. 12, 1-4 PM Forsyth Co. Courthouse

Columbus, Saturday Sept. 12 11AM-1PM Columbus Government Center - 9 th St. side

Cartersville Saturday, Sept. 26 th 2-4 PM Tom's Place

Next Step Training
Next Step training in Augusta area, Saturday, September 19, 10-12 Noon. RSVP here. You can be an ambassador for the movement to fiscal common sense in your community, state, and nation. Come have fun and get training in effective communication with elected officials and working with all kinds of media.

Next Step training for the College crowd will be coming soon, in Atlanta, probably a week night. Watch for details!

Defending the American Dream Summit Oct. 2 & 3
(A project of Americans for Prosperity Foundation)
I hope you're one of the GA members already signed up for our Summit in DC. If not, it's not too late. Register here.